Apparatus for handling tubular textile fabrics



Jan. 25, 1955 s, co -m ETAL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TUBULAR TEXTILE FABRICS 1 IV I'll P I l l I II. A t H- wmm m m s m w V M W N n 9m m R C66 5 d a m ml 0 auu SJE Y B Original Filed Dec. 10, 1949 ATTOR/V Y8 S. CQHN ETAL Jan. 25, 1955 APPARATUS. FOR HANDLING TUBULAR TEXTILE FABRICS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 10, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

dafizuel C 0/112 Jules 6 Walter.

BY Eu yeae Calm ,av memw f gnaw ATTORNE S Jan. 25, 1955 col-IN ET AL 2,700,543

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TUBULAR TEXTILE FABRICS Original Filed Dec. 10, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. 80115116] C 0/11:

Jules G. Wallc'f BY fiuyene Colzn nited States PatentfO APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TUBULAR TEXTILE FABRICS Samuel Cohn, Jules G. Walter, and Eugene Cohn, New York, N. Y., assignors to Samcoe Holding Corporation, Woorlside, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application December 10, 1949, Serial No. 132,374, now Patent No. 2,589,344, dated March 18, 1952. Divided and this application November 10, 1951, Serial No. 257,087

3 Claims. 01. 270-49 This invention relates to the treatment of tubular textile fabrics and more particularly to an improvement in the conveyor and folding mechanism disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 116,174, filed September 26, 1949, now U. S. Patent No. 2,653,812.

This application is a division of our copending application Ser. No. 132,374, filed December 10, 1949, now U. S. Patent No. 2,589,344.

It has been the practice heretofore to treat tubular textile fabrics to a steaming and calendering operation to finish the fabric prior to cutting into garments. In the standard procedure, the tubular fabric is advanced over a spreader which subjects the fabric to lateral and longitudinal tension as it advances, the longitudinal tension being maintained to the point where the fabric is gripped by the calender rolls. After passing the calender rolls where it is subjected to pressure and sometimes heat, the fabric is rolled or folded and delivered to the cutting tables. Because of the longitudinal tension which is maintained throughout the steam treatment, no shrinkage is permitted, and consequently the finished fabric is subject to shrinkage when laundered.

The invention disclosed and claimed in our last-mentioned copending application, of which this is a division, is a method of and apparatus for treating tubular textile fabrics whereby the fabric is longitudinally compressed before, during or after steaming, and is not therefore subject to substantial additional shrinkage as a result of laundering. Furthermore the invention therein set forth provides for setting the stitches of a tubular textile fabric in their natural form and contour and free of internal stress with a reduction in the inherent residual shrinkage so that garments made therefrom are not subject to modification by substantial shrinkage. Additionally, that invention provides for the calendering or finishing of the fabric by the application of rolling pressure thereto without interference with the desired shrinkage, all of the above treatment being carried out independently of the previous condition or treatment of the fabric and being universally applicable to the many varieties of such fabrics which appear in commerce.

The inventionof the present application is directed to an improvement in the conveying and folding mechanism by which the fabric, subsequent to the treatment outlined above, is taken from the calendering or finishing operation and folded without the'application of longitudinal tension, but rather, to the contrary,.in a condition of substantially complete longitudinal relaxation.

The conveying and folding mechanism comprises a conveyor by which the fabric may be carried in a completely relaxed condition and by which it is delivered to a pair of oscillated rollers through which it is passed and fed onto a table in a folded pile. The improvement of this application relates to means for automatically threading the fabric through the oscillated rollers when a fresh end of the fabric is delivered. While the apparatus herein disclosed is that disclosed in our copending application Ser. No. 132,374 and will accomplish the carrying out of the complete method of treatment of that application and while the folding and conveying mechanism included therein is but one part of the complete apparatus, it is believed that the repetition in the drawings of this application of the complete apparatus and of the description thereof will not be superfluous.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the feeding end of the machine;

Fig.

Fig. chine;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one side of the propeller;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an elevation partially in section of the mechamsm for controlling the pressure of the finishing rolls;

Fig. 8 is a side view of one of the propeller pulleys.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates the frame of the machine which is of suitable sturdy construction to withstand the stresses to which it is subjected. A pulley 6 (Fig. 2) is mounted on a shaft 7 extending transversely of the frame and is adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power such as an electric motor, the shaft 7 carries a variable speed pulley 8 from which other parts of the mechanism are driven in the manner hereinafter described. A sprocket 9 on the shaft 7 is connected by a chain 10 to a sprocket 11 on the stub shaft 12 which also carries a sprocket 13 connected by a chain 14 to a sprocket 15 on a shaft 16 extending across the frame and mounted in suitable bearings thereon.

The fabric 17 passes over roller 18, under roller 19, and over roller 20, all of which are mounted on shafts extending transversely of the frame. These rollers serve merely as guides for the fabric. The fabric thenpasses onto the spreader or propeller as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawings.

The propeller consists of frames 21 connected to central members 22. The members 22 are joined by a rod 23, and rods of different lengths can be substituted to ad ust the mechanism to thedesired width of the fabric. The frames 21 carry rollers 24 and pulleys 25 and 26 disposed respectively at the central and end portions of the frame. Endless belts 27 are disposed above the pulleys 25 and 26 so that the belts are exposed to and engage the edges of the fabric which are advanced continuously in a flattened and laterally spread condition. The groove in pulley 25, at the left viewing Fig. 4 is of smaller diame ter than the adjacent pulley 25, so that when driven in the manner hereinafter described, the belts 27 at the left of Fig. 4 travel at a lower speed than that of the belts 27 at the right of the figure. Consequently, as the fabric passes over the spreader, the forward portion thereof will be retarded with the result that the fabric forms rifiies 28 (F1g. 2) being thus relaxed longitudinally and consequently free from longitudinal tension. This is an essential feature of the invention of copending applicat on Ser. No. 132,374, upon which the successful operat1on depends.

To drive the pulleys 25, the shaft 16 (Figs. 2, 5 and 6) carries worms 29 engaging worm gears 30 on shafts 31 vertically mounted in the frame. At the upper ends of the shafts 31, driving wheels 32 are provided With peripheral grooves 34 adapted to engage the fabric 17 at the edge thereof as indicated in Fig. 6. The fabric 1s thus held between the belts 27 and the pulleys and the surface of the driving Wheels 32. The surfaces of the belts 51 are relatively resilient, so that the fabric 32 is gripped positively and thus advances without friction or slipping. The positive feeding of the fabric assures ,the result indicated in Fig. 2. j The grooves in the pulleys 25 and 26 are knurled or hobbed, as indicated at 35 (Fig 8) and engage the soft surface of the belts 27 to ensure positive drive.

While the fabric is in the condition indicated at the left in Fig. 2, steam is applied thereto from steam chests 36 disposed above and below the fabric so that jets of steam are projected on the upper and lower sides thereof and directly opposed to each other and in balanced relation with respect to pressure, the purpose being to avoid any distortion of the fabric or the introduction of any longitudinal tension thereto during the steaming operation. The precise structure of the steam chests 36 is the subject matter of a co-pending application Serial No. 118,086 filed September 27, 1949, now U. S. Patent No. 2,602,314, and forms no part of the present invention. As previously indicated, other types of steam chests may 3 be used and the steam may be applied only to the under side of the fabric.

Following steaming of the fabric, it may be subjected to jets of air applied from pipes 37 disposed above and below the fabric or merely below the fabric and supplied with air under pressure, either heated or cold, through a trunk 38 from a suitable blower 39. As hereinbefore indicated, the air is not essential and may be omitted.

The fabric, still free from longitudinal tension, passes to the finishing rolls 4!) and 41, if such rolls are employed. The rolls 40 and 41 are driven from a pulley 42 which is connected by a belt 43 to the variable speed pulley 3, and thus the speed of the rolls can be controlled so as to avoid the application of longitudinal tension in the fabric passing between the rolls. In order to adjust the pressure applied by the rolls 40 and 41 as the fabric passes between them, the upper roll 40 is supported in bearings in pivoted arms 44, the ends of which embrace rods 45. Springs 46 and 47 are disposed above and below the arms 44, the upper spring 46 being adapted to force the roll 40 toward the roll 41, whereas the spring 47 has the opposite effect. The ends of the rods 45 are connected to cranks 48 on a shaft 49 extending transversely of the frame of the machine. An arm or lever 50 is also connected to the shaft 49 and may be shifted about a segment 51 which is suitably supported on the frame of the machine. By raising the arm 50, the springs 47 are caused to overcome the tension of the springs 46, and the lowering of the arm 50 permits the springs 46 to exert their pressure on the arm. Thus, depending upon the position of the arm 50, the full weight of the roll 40 plus the biasing efiect of the springs 46 may be applied to the fabric, whereas if the arm 50 is raised, thus overcoming the tension of the springs 46, the weight of the roll 40 is overcome and the pressure may be zero or less. The preferable pressure applied between the rolls 40 and 41 is a so-called featherweight pressure, but any desired degree of pressure or none at all may be exerted upon the fabric by a simple adjustment of the arm 50. With featherweight pressure, the rolls 40 and 41 exert no tendency to effect longitudinal tension in the fabric which passes therethrough in relaxed condition, as is desirable to secure the preferred result.

A conveyor (Fig. 3) receives the fabric 17 and conveys it upwardly from the treating mechanism. The conveyor consists of a plurality of slats 52 mounted upon chains 53 which extend over sprockets 54 and 55. The sprocket 55 is driven by a belt 56 connected to the sprocket and a pulley 57 on a shaft 58 extending transversely of the frame of the machine. The pulley 57 is driven through a belt 59 from a pulley 60 which is, in turn, driven through a belt 61 from a pulley 62 on the shaft 63 extending transversely of the machine and carrying the pulley 42 driven by belt 43 from the variable speed pulley 8. Thus, the fabric is conveyed upwardly without longitudinal tension and delivered to the folding mechanism, the details of which are described in application Ser. No. 116,174 filed September 16, 1949, now U. S. Patent No. 2,653,812 and form no part of the invention except for the improvement hereinafter described. The mechanism of the prior application includes swinging arms 66 actuated in the manner described in said application and carrying rollers 67 at their lower ends which feed the fabric to a table 68 with mechanism above the table which is adjustable as the pile of fabric increases.

The improvement of the present application relates to means for automatically threading the fabric through the rollers 67 when a fresh end of the fabric is delivered. It consists of a plate 69 pivotally connected to the lower ends of the arms 66 and slidable between pins 70 on a bracket 71. On the opposite side, plate 72 telescopes within a plate 73. The plate 72 is pivoted at the lower end of the arms 66, and the plate 73 is pivoted at 74 on a bracket 75. Thus, as the arms 66 swing backwardly and forwardly to distribute the fabric upon the table 68, the plates 69, 72 and 73 swing with it. When a fresh end of the fabric is introduced by the conveyor, it falls between the plates 69 and the plates 72 and 73, and the end is readily gripped between the rollers 67 without any manual operation. The details of the operation of the arms 66 need not be described in detail, because it is fully described in the copending application.

Various changes may be made in the details of the apparatus and in the operation thereof Without departing from the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

We claim:

1. In a machine for treating tubular textile fabrics, a conveyor, a support beneath the discharge end of the conveyor, a swinging distributor arm above the support but extending beneath the discharge end of the conveyor, a pair of rolls on the distributor arm, and a pair of guide plates each secured at its lower end to the swinging arm substantially immediately above said rolls, said plates extending upwardly and outwardly from said swinging arm and converging toward the bight formed between said rolls thereby being adapted automatically to guide the free end of a piece of fabric discharged from the conveyor into the rolls, each guide plate at its upper end being supported for sliding movement lengthwise of its planar extent during swinging of said distributor arm.

2. In a machine for treating tubular textile fabrics, a conveyor, a support beneath the discharge end of the conveyor, a swinging distributor arm above the support but beneath the discharge end of the conveyor, a pair of rolls on the distributor arm, a first plate having its lower end secured to the swinging arm substantially immediately above one of said rolls, the upper end of said first plate being slidably received between a pair of guide pins, and a second plate having its lower end secured to the swinging arm substantially immediately above the other roll, said second plate having its upper end slidably received within a plate-like member pivotally secured to the framework of the conveyor, the two plates automatically guiding the free end of a piece of fabric discharged from the conveyor into the pair of rolls.

3. In a machine for treating tubular textile fabrics, a conveyor, a support beneath the discharge end of the conveyor, a swinging distributor arm above the support but beneath the discharge end of the conveyor, a pair of rolls on the distributor arm, a first plate having its lower end pivotally secured to the swinging arm substantially immediately above one of said rolls, the upper end of said first plate being slidably received between a pair of guide pins secured to the framework of the conveyor, and a second plate having its lower end pivotally secured to the swinging arm substantially immediately above the other roll, said second plate having its upper end telescopically received within the lower end of a plate-like member the upper end of which is pivotally-secured to the framework of the conveyor, the two plates automatically guiding the free end of a piece of fabric discharged from the conveyor into the pair of rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 966,760 Mutschler Aug. 9, 1910 1,858,073 Cole May 10, 1932 2,289,615 Williams July 14, 1942 

